MINUTES OF THE INFORMAL MEETING OF THE JOHNSON COUNTY BOARD OF SUPERVISORS:
FEBRUARY 3, 2005
TABLE OF CONTENTS
Chairperson Stutsman called the Johnson County Board of Supervisors to order in the Johnson County Administration Building at 9:07 a.m. Members present were: Pat Harney, Mike Lehman, Terrence Neuzil, Sally Stutsman, and Rod Sullivan.
Assistant County Engineer Al Miller requested that the Board approve an Enhancement Project Agreement for a portland cement concrete trail along 12th Avenue. The estimated cost for the project is $165,000 for the wide sidewalk on one side of the road. The Federally funded portion is $132,000 maximum through an 80/20 agreement. The Board agreed to put the agreement on a future formal agenda for approval.
County Engineer Greg Parker presented a 28E Agreement with the City of Iowa City for maintenance of shared roadways. Miller said that if the shared roadways change they will be able to bring a resolution to the Board rather than changing the entire 28E Agreement. The Board agreed to put the 28E Agreement on a future formal agenda for approval.
Parker asked that the Board approve a right-of-way contract with John P. and Theola K. Rarick for $27,140.00 for a bridge replacement project on Ireland Avenue. The Board agreed to put the right-of-way contract on a future formal agenda for approval.
SEATS Director Tom Brase said that he would like to reorganize the SEATS administrative staff by changing the full-time Systems Administrator to a part-time Billing Supervisor. When the Systems Administrator job was created in October of 1999 the primary need was for Johnson County SEATS to incorporate new scheduling software. The installation of Stratagem Scheduling Software is complete and running smoothly and the Systems Administrator has given notice. Brase explained that at this time the position could be better utilized by creating a part-time Billing Supervisor position and allowing time and funds to establish another part-time driving route. Brase said that the Systems Administrator does do some troubleshooting but is now more responsible for invoicing and dispatch scheduling support. The goals of the SEATS Department are to continue to keep expenditures low yet continue to develop customer service. Brase said that the new part-time position will still have authority to coordinate the daily operations in the absence of the Director or Operations Supervisor but the majority of the work will be directed towards maintaining and ensuring that all data is correct for billing and reporting. Stutsman asked how this will be reflected in the budget. Brase said that there should be a cost savings of $10,000 a year if demands don’t continue to grow. The Board agreed to put the reorganization of SEATS Administrative staff on a future formal agenda for approval.
County Treasurer Tom Kriz explained the new Department of Transportation Motor Vehicle Registration System problems effecting Johnson County. Kriz said that the DOT spent over $10,000,000 on a rewrite of their Motor Vehicle Registration system which went into affect January 3, 2005. Kriz said that the new DOT system has been a disaster that has caused lines up to 45 minutes long. Kriz said that the DOT expected 98% of the records from the old system to convert to the new system. Less than 50% of the records converted, which causes staff to have to create the new records, thus causing lines. Kriz said that the new software was also a rewrite for all of the motor vehicle dealerships in the state. The Iowa Auto Dealers Association has written letters stating that the new system is not working for them. Kriz reported that Polk County has a backlog of over 2,000 title packets. Motor Vehicle Deputy Jim Pregon has been working seven days a week. Kriz told the Board that the lines will continue to exist but they are doing everything they can to minimize them. Kriz said that the DOT has begun to staff a help center, which has helped, but the hours don’t correlate with the office hours of some of the County Treasurer’s Offices throughout the state. Kriz warned the Board that they might hear complaints from the public but they are doing everything they can to alleviate the lines and problems. The Board thanked Kriz for the update of the situation.
GIS COORDINATOR RICK HAVEL: BIANNUAL UPDATE
GIS Coordinator Rick Havel reported that they are in the process of upgrading their software to the latest version and it is going well. They have been working on getting the County GPS collection capabilities. Planning and Zoning and Secondary Roads have been working with GPS units and collecting data. They have funds to purchase more equipment in the Spring which will allow Havel to work with the Department of Public Health and give more units to the Planning and Zoning Department. The parcel database updating is progressing. Deputy Auditor Mark Kistler and Havel met with Sidwell Representatives, who specialize in parcel mapping and database development to contract with them to address the backlog in the Johnson County parcel database. Sidwell was impressed with Johnson County’s data organizational structure and were optimistic that they could get a lot of the backlog taken care of. Sidwell will be compiling a cost and time estimate in the future. At that point in time, Havel will bring a proposed contract to the Board. Havel said that they have made adjustments to the maintenance and tracking system to make it easier to track where tasks are at. Havel said that the framework of what they need to do and how they need to do it is getting better. Havel said that the orthophotography has gone over well. The aerial photographs collected in 2003 are heavily used by Johnson County and others who are in partnership with Johnson County. They are planning another fly over in the Spring of 2006. The Cities of Iowa City and Coralville have given verbal commitments to help fund the project. Information Services hired an intern to help construct the county-wide road centerline file. The project was completed in the allotted four month time frame. Havel said that the Public Land Survey Enhancement project is to catalog corner certificates geographically and there is an intern in the Auditor’s Office working on compiling the information. The online mapping application has continued to grow and is the fourth most visited County website. Havel said that they have a non-paid intern working with them to produce a new County road atlas. Havel will be participating in a GIS Manager Summit on February 16, 2005. Havel has been working with FEMA to develop a new digital flood map. The Board thanked Havel for his report.
DISCUSSION: APPOINTING A LIAISON TO THE IOWA CITY COMMUNITY SCHOOL DISTRICT
The Board discussed that Supervisors are appointed to work with the various cities and small towns as liaisons but they don’t have a liaison with the Iowa City Community School District. R. Sullivan volunteered to serve as the liaison to the Iowa City Community School District and will be appointed at a future formal meeting.
REPORTS AND INQUIRIES FROM THE BOARD OF SUPERVISORS
Harney attended the ECICOG Board of Directors meeting, the Chamber Ag Breakfast Series, a Corridor Committee meeting, and the Criminal Justice Coordinating Committee meeting.
Neuzil attended the Corridor Committee meeting, the Criminal Justice Coordinating Committee meeting, the Mental Health/Developmental Disabilities Continuous Quality Improvement Committee meeting, and the Johnson County Cultural Alliance meeting. Neuzil will be having a Listening Post in Shueyville at the Dry Dock on February 10, 2005 from 11:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m.
Lehman attended a liaison meeting with Brase, the Communications Committee meeting, the League of Women Voters Legislative Forum, and a meeting with Chatham Oaks for the new Services Enriched Housing proposal.
R. Sullivan attended the Johnson County Cultural Alliance meeting, a meeting with JCCOG Human Services Coordinator Linda Severson regarding human services block grants, the Fairground Ribbon Cutting ceremony, and the City and County Assessor Conference Board meetings. R. Sullivan reported that the Domestic Violence Program is having their annual Souper Bowl fundraiser at 5:30 p.m. at the Coralville Holiday Inn.
Stutsman attended budget work session, a Communications Committee meeting, and the Iowa State Extension Committee meeting.
SCHEDULING BUDGET WORK SESSION
The Board scheduled a budget work session February 9, 2005 at 2:30 p.m.
Adjourned at 10:50 a.m.
Attest: Tom Slockett, Auditor
By Casie Kadlec, Recording Secretary
Sent to the Board of Supervisors on February 23, 2005 at 3:30 p.m.